Don't you dare forget me
by nanyyy
Summary: This is a special night for Legolas, and his friend learn more about his story. Situated in LOTR when the fellowship of the ring arrives at Rivendell, but before their meeting deciding Frodon will be the Ring-bearer. (Bardolas Slash)


When the fellowship of the ring arrived at Rivendell, a meeting to discuss the situation was soon enough scheduled, but in the meantime, they could eat, drink and rest as much as needed.

One night, when they were all enjoying the night outside, Gimli noticed something.

"- Where's that annoying elf at? Did he get lost somewhere?"

Nobody answered, looking for Legolas, when Gandalf made them turn their head to him.

"- He's on what you could call a personal mission.

\- How so?

\- Well, Pippin, tonight is a special night.

-What do you mean?

\- Tonight is the night something important happened, nearly a century ago."

There was a long pause, as everyone was waiting for a follow-up that never came. Merry distinctly whispered a "come on Gandalf, talk!" which was answered by an elbow by Frodo.

The wizard hesitated, but not for long. He always enjoyed telling stories.

"Has any of you ever heard of Bard, the Dragonslayer?

-Yes, of course, he's the one who killed that awful dragon Smaug who had claimed the Lonely Mountain as his lair. He's a famous guy this one.

\- Indeed, Boromir, but what nobody knows is the quite intimate relationship he had with the Prince of Woodland.

-Intimate like, intimate?

-Obviously Pip, now let the wizard talk!

\- Bard was a great man, who helped at war against the Orcs, against Sauron, and was made King of Dale. However, this man was one of the rare ones who did not care about power, about ruling. All he wanted was to spend every bit of time he had with the love of his life. See, relationships between an elf and a man can be complicated. It is always as if you had Damocles' sword hanging over your head. On one hand, there is an immortal being that can live thousands of years, and on the other there is a mortal that couldn't go over a hundred years. How do you cope with the fact that your true love will only be there for a small portion of your life? With the fact that the person you love the most will, sooner or later, get over you, find someone else and even forget you after your death? None of them could bare the reality of what their relationship was bound to.

But one day, Bard caught wind of a rumour, the rumour of a new powerful sorcerer living somewhere in the Iron Hills that could give him the gift of an immortal life, allowing him to forever be by Legolas' side. The night the Dragonslayer decided to go look for him was surely the most painful decision of their life, since leaving meant wasting all the years they had left together for an opportunity that looked a lot more like a risk. Legolas couldn't go with him, for he was under his father's command. They had to go different ways, to abandon each other. Our friend finally agreed, blinded by hope and all the tears in his eyes. Though they did promise each other something, before going their separate ways. Every year, on this night, Legolas shall find the highest point of his surroundings and let loose a special arrow in the sky, one linked with a blue magic, so he could always remember his love for the man, always remember he's coming back. Bard is supposed to respond with the one red arrow he took with him before leaving, allowing Legolas to know his true love has come back from his mission.

Legolas has been shooting arrows every year, staying awake all night long, waiting for his lover's respond, only to lose every bit of hope left all over again when the sun rises. Tonight, is this night."

Everyone was silent after this, taking in the wonderfully sorrowful story of their elf friend.

"- How come does nobody know about this?

-Well, it was sort of a secret relationship at the time, and through all the years of no one mentioning it, nobody remembers, nobody knows.

-But Legolas still lives, how can a living story be dead already?

\- Do you really think of Legolas as the kind of elf to deliberately tell this narrative? He does not ever talk about it.

\- Why so? He still should be proud of him, of the man he was, of their bond.

\- Because, my dear Sam, even after all these years, his scars are still wide open, and everyone knows an elf doesn't like to show his weaknesses."

The silence fell once again, a somehow mourning atmosphere settling. Aragorn's eyes settled on a mountain not far away and could discern a human shaped form. Just at this moment, Gandalf advised to the group it would be best to rest, now. While leaving, Aragorn glanced at him, at which the wizard grinned in a mysterious way.

Where the Strider had laid his eyes was standing the Prince of Woodland, calmly but thoroughly watching the sky for a red glow, tears slowly founding their way in his eyes.


End file.
